Chiles Plays Peacemaker For Rattlers, Seminoles

December 14, 1991|By Chris Talbott, Sentinel Correspondent

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Lawton Chiles took time Friday to make sure Florida State University and Florida A&M University have made up since the fight between the two schools' basketball teams in the final game of the Capital City Classic a week ago.

The schools already seem to have settled their differences.

''We didn't need this platform to talk about what we need to do. We've talked already,'' FAMU President Frederick Humphries said. ''This perceived hostility that the press keeps talking about is just not there.''

Several representatives from both schools were on hand Friday, including the principals of the fight - FAMU's Reggie Finney and FSU's Doug Edwards, who exchanged jerseys and apologized to each other. Edwards and Ray Donald will miss Sunday's Atlantic Coast Conference opener at North Carolina because of a one-game suspension for fighting. Finney, Anton Walton and Lester Hunt will miss Tuesday's game against Southern University at Baton Rouge, La.

Fifteen of FAMU's players and three of FSU's were ejected for fighting. FAMU, which had only three eligible players remaining, forfeited the game.

Even the governor took a little blame for the fight, jokingly.

''Al (State Rep. Al Lawson, who organized the classic) made the mistake of letting me throw the ball up in the game, and I think that may have started something,'' Chiles said.

One thing neither side was joking about was whether the teams will play again.

''The more I think about it, the better it might be (to continue playing),'' FAMU coach Willie Booker said. ''It's sort of like the Tyson and Holyfield fight because everybody's talking about it and now they want it.''

FSU coach Pat Kennedy wasn't so optimistic.

''I think it's something that will have to be reviewed,'' Kennedy said.